A sharp turn or movement in one direction, especially after turning the opposite way; the opposite of a zig.
From the zigzag pattern, 'zig' and 'zag' emerged as onomatopoetic terms in the 1700s to describe alternating sharp angles or rapid back-and-forth motions, likely imitating the visual appearance of the pattern itself.
The words 'zig' and 'zag' are almost always used together—they're a linguistic pair that reinforces each other, much like 'salt and pepper' or 'bread and butter,' showing how some words in English develop meaning through partnership rather than standing alone.
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